Match Stats/Report - Connors vs Seguso, Queen's Club semi-final, 1986

[Waspsting]

Jimmy Connors beat Robert Seguso 6-3, 6-4 in the Queen’s Club semi-final, 1986 on grass

Connors, the number 1 seed, would go onto lose the final to Tim Mayotte, who beat Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg in previous rounds, via retirement. Seguso would beat Connors in the first round at Wimbledon just after

Connors won 60 points, Seguso 37

Seguso serve-volleyed off all serves, with the exception of 1 second serve

Serve Stats
Connors...
- 1st serve percentage (30/47) 64%
- 1st serve points won (26/30) 87%
- 2nd serve points won (11/17) 65%
- Aces 7 (1 second serve - a Seguso whiff), Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (18/47) 38%

Seguso...
- 1st serve percentage (28/50) 56%
- 1st serve points won (20/28) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (7/22) 32%
- Aces 11 (1 second serve), Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/50) 34%

Serve Patterns
Connors served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 61%
- to Body 5%

Seguso served...
- to FH 36%
- to BH 55%
- to Body 9%

Return Stats
Connors made...
- 27 (11 FH, 16 BH)
- 2 Winners (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 5 Errors, all forced...
- 5 Forced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (27/44) 61%

Seguso made...
- 26 (5 FH, 21 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 2 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (4 FH, 1 BH)
- 5 Forced (1 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (26/44) 59%

Break Points
Connors 3/4 (3 games)
Seguso 1/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Connors 13 (7 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)
Seguso 7 (1 FH, 1 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)

Connors had 8 passes (5 FH, 3 BH)
- FHs - 1 cc, 2 dtl, 1 lob and 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net
- BHs - 2 cc (1 return) and 1 inside-out (that Seguso left)

- regular FHs - 1 dtl and 1 inside-out/dtl

- 2 from serve-volley points (2 FHV), both first volleys

Seguso had 5 from serve-volley points -
- 3 first volleys (2 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)

- FH - 1 dtl/inside-out
- BH - 1 inside-in return

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Connors 10
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 2 BH, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (4 FH, 2 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 55

Seguso 23
- 8 Unforced (2 FH, 4 BH, 2 OH)
- 15 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 3 FHV, 2 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 3 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 51.3

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Connors was...
- 6/7 (86%) at net, including...
- 4/5 (80%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 2/3 (67%) off first serve and...
- 2/2 off second serve

Seguso was...
- 17/37 (46%) at net, including...
- 15/31 (48%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 9/17 (53%) off first serve and...
- 6/14 (43%) off second serve
---
- 0/2 return-approaching

Match Report
Top showing from Connors, especially the returning, that leaves the big serving Seguso a very, very uphill task of coping on the ‘volley’ on a particularly low bouncing grass court

Seguso has a big serve, up there with the best of period and serve-volleys behind virtually all of it (stays back of 1 2nd serve after taking the pounding about to be described). He’s got 10 aces/service winners off first serves or 36% off first serves to demonstrate it

What happens to the serves that don’t go for aces? In order of frequency - 1/2volley, shoelace volley, low volley, low-ish volley. Just a firm return slightly under the net is a God send for Seguso

The serves Jimbo can reach without much movement yield bullet 1/2volleys. Those he’s stretched out for, somewhere between firm and just below firm 1/2volleys. Its shoe music all the time

And the serves all come back. Sans the 11 aces and 1 service winner, just 5 return errors by Jimbo - and there are plenty of very powerful, difficult serves to handle in that lot. Including 2nd serves

The only time Seguso stays back off a 2nd serve, it still comes back to his feet level + wide, on the baseline and forces an error
Strain tells and Seguso has high 6 double faults from just 22 2nd serves. A bit much but if ever double faults are justified, its here

0 volley UEs from Seguso. He doesn’t have much scope to make a UE on the full. He’s got 9 FEs - 5 of them half-volleys. Just 5 winners - at least 2 of them by low volleys

Jimbo doesn’t have read on first serve and is often guessing direction. Does seem to read the seconds

Good serving from Jimbo, he has 7 aces and a service winner himself or 23% off first serves, which is high for anyone, and astronomical for him. Also draws 10 return errors (5 UEs, 5 FEs), and gains good initiative from serves that drag Seguso wide or/and leave him off balance

Jimbo leads unreturneds 38% to 34% against the much bigger serving Seguso. Even leads the return rate (which, with Seguso’s high lot of double faults wouldn’t be a given despite unreturend rates) by 2%

Nothing unduly bad about Seguso’s movement on the return to account for it and missing attempted aggressive returns account for about half his UEs. Just good serving from Jimbo against normal returning

Jimbo stays on the baseline on his service games. Usually hits wide and firm third balls to implement an open court rally. Plenty of running for Seguso to do. He’s not particularly quick, but he’s not slow either. When he makes the running shots, it usually gives Jimbo a running one to make. Jimbo is quick and makes most. Good, lively rallies

If Seguso has a fault, its his shot tolerance. Isn’t up to handling Jimbo’s force of shot, which with the low bounce, is checked at times

The odd, surprise serve-volley from Jimbo, as often as not behind second serve. Other than he’s 5 serve-volleys (3 first serves, 2 seconds), he’s only at net twice (including first point of the match

And some excellent passing from Jimbo on the run. No flagging efforts, running full tilt to unlikely passes, reaching them and giving them a good belt, usually well placed

13 winners, 10 errors (4 UEs, 6 FEs) from Jimbo - top notch, with FH starring with 7 winners, 5 errors (1 UE, 4 FEs)

Highlights include Jimbo making running FH passing winners with lob, running-down-drop-shot cc at net and dtl. Deftly stepping aside to smack a body serve for FH inside-in pass winner. And a wondeful, first FHV winner serve-volleying from the feet

Jimbo gets a niggle in groin region after a long run in first set. Doesn’t stop him from running after everything thereafter. Perhaps unwisley so, given he’d retire in the final. Seguso gets a bit testy with the Chair in the second set, not without cause after Chair overrules an ace on the far side that Seguso felt was a reaction to Jimbo’s reaction implying he thought it had been a fault. Chair though doesn’t overrule a Jimbo service winner on the line that doesn’t raise chalk, to Seguso’s continued irritation

Match Progression
Good first set, if not too competitive. Jimbo’s loses 4 points in his 5 service games and is never behind in one of them, but there’s just one break just before he serves it out

Jimbo serves wide to draw not strong returns and sends Seguso running to opposite corner to start baseline rallies. Some lively stuff coming out of it, Seguso not bad on the run, but Jimbo naturally wining the bulk of such rallies

Meanwhile, lots of big serves and aces and hard forced return errors drawn by Seguso, who serve-volleys all the time. What is returned though is returned low, giving him tough volleys. He manages well enough to hold 3/4 times

Jimbo opens match by coming to net to putaway a BHV winner. Turns out to be the only point of match where he rallies his way forward (other net points are serve-volleys and a running-down-drop-shot effort)

Aces and service winners see Seguso hold serve to 3-3, amidst dealing with low ‘volleys’. He’s broken to love at 3-4 - a bad OH miss from him, a 1/2volley error, a running Jimbo FH lob winner (after a first 1/2volley by Seguso) and on break point, Seguso leaves a return off a strong serve that lands in for a winner. Jimbo serves out to love - starting with a running FH cc pass winner against chip-charging Seguso

Jimbo breaks to start the second set too, with 3 winners while just missing a fourth and again consolidates to love. He’s won 18/19 points in a row starting game 7 of first set

Seg breaks back for 2-2, with Jimbo double faulting twice and Seguso sealing the break with a BH inside-in return winner, but Jimbo breaks right back to stay in lead. 2 half-volley errors from Seguso in the game and another FHV one after making the half-volley on another point

Jimbo holds serve easily from thereon, including with a 4 unreutnred serves hold to love with 2 aces (1 a second serve ace that Seguso whiffs). For that matter, Seguso holds his final service game to love with 3 aces and a first volley winner from his feet, before Jimbo serves out to 15. He ends with his 7th ace

Summing up, top drawer performance from Connors on the return in particular, where he’s up against formidable opposition in Seguso’s very powerful serve. All Seguso gets out of it are half-volleys and shoelace volleys, merely a firm, low-ish return are the ‘easiest’ volleys he faces and it’s more than he can handle

Good serving and controlled, firmly struck wide attacking aggression from Connors from the back of the court, with excellent passes too

Not bad from Seguso. His shot tolerance could do with a bump, but in other areas, he’s outdone by very strong play from other end. Some impressive, unanswerable serving is highlight from him and it’s a significant load, but on most everything else, his fate’s in Connors’ unmerciful hands

 

[jrepac]

So, my larger question is, did Connors get injured in this match? He retired in the final...was it back problems? Was never clear. Obviously had an adverse affect on him...no way would he lose in the 1st round of Wimbledon otherwise. I recall that was a very close one.

 

[sandy mayer]

Connors served so well in this match. 38% unreturned serves is very unusual for him. Why did he not serve like this all the time? When I saw this match I thought Connors had a good chance of winning Wimbledon. He was seeded 3 and I felt only Becker was likely to be stronger than him on grass, and even then I felt Connors had a chance against Becker. Dan Maskell thought Connors had a great chance too. It was a big shock when he lost in the first round, though Seguso was a tough first round draw.

 

[buscemi]

So, my larger question is, did Connors get injured in this match? He retired in the final...was it back problems? Was never clear. Obviously had an adverse affect on him...no way would he lose in the 1st round of Wimbledon otherwise. I recall that was a very close one.

According to this New York Times story, it was a pulled groin muscle.

 

[WCT]

7 aces in 47 serves? Has he ever had an ace % like that? 7 times at net in 2 sets on grass? This makes him look like a net rushing demon in matches I criticize him for how little he came in.

I have zero recollection of watching this match. I sure as hell would remember 7 times at net. Same with the injury. I don't remember reading about it in 86 and discussing his chances at Wimbledon.

I don't remember being particularly optimistic going into the tournament. He was having trouble winning a grand prix tournament, period. That doesn't mean I thought he'd be out in the first round, though.

Good luck winning Wimbledon in 1986 coming to the net 6 or 7 times a set.

 

[Waspsting]

So, my larger question is, did Connors get injured in this match? He retired in the final...was it back problems? Was never clear. Obviously had an adverse affect on him...no way would he lose in the 1st round of Wimbledon otherwise. I recall that was a very close one.

According to this New York Times story, it was a pulled groin muscle.

He does something to his groin region in the first set here and tends to it accordingly
Keeps running for everything for rest of match though

This is my first look at Seguso, but he seems like the kind of guy nobody wants to draw in first round. Really big serve and I can't tell how he volleys because to exaggerate, all he gets to do is half-volley here

Very little to go on, but I can see him taking out even a healthy Connors on a given day on grass

7 times at net in 2 sets on grass? This makes him look like a net rushing demon in matches I criticize him for how little he came in... Good luck winning Wimbledon in 1986 coming to the net 6 or 7 times a set.

In his defence, he doens't need to come in here because he's dominating the baseline action aggressively (as opposed to winning outlasting contests)

We both have been critical of Jimbo for not coming in more. I get the sense he'd prefer not to have to - if he can win from baseline, he'll do that

Here he can, so he doesn't come in. good for him
Its when he obviosly isn't winning from the baseline and still staying stuck at the back (especially if he's very successful when he does come in) that I'm particularly critical

Still, your probably right. Knowing Jimbo, its unlikely he has Plan B of net rushing ready to go if what he's doing doesn't work out. If he's sticking to baseline here, he'd probably do it even if he weren't winning readily

 

[WCT]

He does something to his groin region in the first set here and tends to it accordingly
Keeps running for everything for rest of match though

This is my first look at Seguso, but he seems like the kind of guy nobody wants to draw in first round. Really big serve and I can't tell how he volleys because to exaggerate, all he gets to do is half-volley here

Very little to go on, but I can see him taking out even a healthy Connors on a given day on grass



In his defence, he doens't need to come in here because he's dominating the baseline action aggressively (as opposed to winning outlasting contests)

We both have been critical of Jimbo for not coming in more. I get the sense he'd prefer not to have to - if he can win from baseline, he'll do that

Here he can, so he doesn't come in. good for him
Its when he obviosly isn't winning from the baseline and still staying stuck at the back (especially if he's very successful when he does come in) that I'm particularly critical

Still, your probably right. Knowing Jimbo, its unlikely he has Plan B of net rushing ready to go if what he's doing doesn't work out. If he's sticking to baseline here, he'd probably do it even if he weren't winning readily

It is true that he shouldn't be overly criticized if he won the match in straight sets. I still stand by good luck winning Wimbledon in 1986 coming in 7 times in 2 sets. For me, it's not so much about criticism as it was his style changed and, at the time, it was like, nobody seems to notice it but me.

I watched a game of this match today. Connors serving. He s/v on a point and hits an aggressive swinging volley for a winner. Dan Maskell says he is not the best volleyer, but has an excellent forehand drive volley. 10 years earlier, during the Connors Tanner Wembley final, he said that while famous for his two handed backhand, that Connors was, of course, a brilliant all court player. I think that described his style accurately. An all court player. The player in this match is not. He is a baseliner.